This invention relates to a novel fabric formed from a novel blend of fibers.
Hair from various animals, particularly cold weather animals, has a peculiar construction formed with air-filled cells which has evolved as a very effective way of insulating the animal from the surrounding cold environment. In particular Rangifer tarandus (Caribou or Reindeer) is a very common animal in northern climates and has hair particulary noted for its insulating properties due to the presence of air-filled cells. In addition Odocoileus hemonus (Mule Deer) and Odocoileus virginiana (White Tailed Deer) have very similar hair properties.
While hair of this type has been noted as having very high insulating properties, it has not been formed into a fabric in view of the other properties of the hair which make it unacceptable in fabric construction. Particularly the hair is relatively short and very fragile having very low tensile strength and a low resistance to damage by friction or by various forms of processing. It also has a very high electrostatic propensity.
While large numbers of such animals are slaughtered each year for meat and other materials, in most cases the hair or fur is discarded because of the problems in processing the hair into a useable fabric. To date it is believed that no useable fabric has been developed using this hair and therefore it is one object of the present invention to provide a novel fabric employing this hair.